What are Hash House Harriers

Celebrating 50 Golden Years of Hashing in Australia –

What it’s all about

The Sydney Hash House Harriers an all-male club which has a non competitive social run starting at 18:30 every Monday, mostly in the suburbs and bushland of northern Sydney. Check out the Upcoming Runs page for details of the next run. For holiday long weekends, runs change to Tuesday and are shared with other local Hash Clubs.

Male and female visitors are most welcome. If you are from out of town and wish to run as a guest contact the committee below for more information. For transport information phone (131500) or check transport website.

The Hash House Harriers (H3) qualify as the world’s largest running club with more than 2000 H3 clubs in some 1300 cities and 184 countries. Total membership is in excess of 100,000.

Being a Hash House Harrier is a state of mind, a friendship of kindred spirits joined together for a bit of Hare & Hounds sport (which has its origins in 1867); men and women re-living their childhood or happier days, releasing the tensions of everyday life and generally finding time for welcome camaraderie among others who will not judge you or measure you by anything more than your sense of humour.

H3 was founded in Malaya (now Malaysia) in 1938 to:
. Promote physical fitness
. Banish weekend lethargy
. Work up a good thirst and satisfy it with beer
. Enable older members to feel young again.

Original members were mainly British, Australian and Kiwi business, civil service and military ex-pats stationed in Kuala Lumpur. Many stayed at the Selangor Club where the dining room was referred to as the Hash House due to its boring, basic food. Today’s Selangor Club is home to The Mother Hash, and a must-enjoy watering hole for all Hashers visiting or living in Kuala Lumpur. An everything-you want-to-know history of Hashing is the subject of Hare of the Dog, by Stu The Colonel Lloyd. Hashing was put on hold during WWII and Japanese occupation of the Malayan peninsula. The Hash was re-formed in 1946, with new clubs established in Italy (1947), Singapore (1962), Kuching (1963-by our own Harry God Knows Howell), and blossomed throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

Sydney Hash House Harriers (SH3) was founded in 1967 by Mike Miall (The Little General) and Phil Riddell (The Ruptured Duck), ex-pat Harriers from Singapore and Malaysia. The first Sydney run on Monday 18th September, 1967 attracted 6 runners, followed by runs every Monday since, at 6.30 pm, regardless of weather and other events. With about 100 members, Sydney Hash has now exceeded 2500 runs. Many Sydney Hash men have a 30+ year involvement and some of the original 1967 runners are still active.

The Sydney Hash House Harriers – SH3 – is an all-male running club that welcomes female visiting runners, it draws its members predominantly from the North Shore of Sydney and is often referred to (by others!) as the POSH Hash due to its perceived exclusive north shore residency; a misguided perception it is a friendly egalitarian club. Superb, excellent-value meals are provided after each run with meals at the run location in summer and local restaurants in winter accompanied by beer and wine.

As SH3 members mature additional activities now enjoyed by Hashers, and many of their partners, include golf, kayaking, walking, cycling, and participation in Worldwide Interhash events. Today Sydney Hash Harriers caters for those who may no longer be active in individual or team sports but still enjoy a competitive fun run, a brisk walk or just a stroll and chat with their mates. There is an active social side apart from the weekly runs with a wide range of social events to share with partners that include social lunches, dinners, theatre groups, golf matches and weekends away.

Like-minded friends and associates are invited to become Harriers–you are never too old or young at heart to become a Sydney Hash House Harrier and join in the fun.